13 September, 2004 FPC Faculty Meeting Minutes
September 13, 2004
Terrace Room, Norman Hall
Presenters: Maureen Conroy, Chair of the Faculty Policy Council
Catherine Emihovich, Dean of the College of Education
Number of faculty present: 65
Conroy called the meeting to order at 3:10. After introducing herself as the chair of the Faculty Policy Council, she announced that a good portion of the meeting today would be devoted to providing faculty the opportunity to give President Machen feedback he has requested from the on the University’s strategic plan by early October. He has asked that the faculty address the following three questions in reference to the strategic plan:
1.) What parts of the strategic plan do you like?
2.) What would you like to see removed from the strategic plan?
3.) What would you like to see added to the strategic plan?
Handouts: The UF strategic plan summary, the College of Education strategic plan.
Welcome and Introductions of New Faculty and Professional Staff Announcements
Faculty Policy Council
Conroy introduced members of the Faculty Policy Council by department.
Counselor Education: Ellen Amatea, Mary Ann Clark (alternate)
Educational Psychology: Mirka Koro-Ljungberg, Tracy Linderholm, Tina Smith-Bonahue (alternate)
Educational Leadership: Dale Campbell, Larry Tyree, Dave Honeyman (alternate)
Special Education: Terry Scott, Hazel Jones (Secretary), Cyndy Griffin (alternate)
School of Teaching and Learning: Linda Lamme, Ester de Jong, Linda Jones (alternate)
Dean’s Office
Dean Emihovich introduced new members of the Dean’s staff.
Jerry Benson, new Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Margaret Gaylord, new development officer
Larry Lansford, Director of Information and Publication Services
Departments
Each department chair and the directors of P. K. Yonge and Baby Gator introduced the new members of his or her department.
Lansford announced that he will be taking pictures for the faculty-staff directory and would like to get pictures of the new P.K. Yonge faculty as they leave.
Faculty Policy Council Update (Conroy)
Conroy encouraged faculty to become involved with the Faculty Policy Council (FPC) this year. She noted that although FPC does a considerable amount of work, faculty members often do not get information from FPC. She encouraged faculty to visit the FPC website. The FPC meets every other week. Those who have an agenda item can email anyone on the agenda committee including herself, Hazel Jones, and Larry Tyree.
One of the FPC’s goals is to coordinate faculty feedback related to the UF strategic plan beginning with this meeting and including specific tasks assigned to several committees. Providing input to the strategic plan is an opportunity that will hopefully make a long-term difference. The FPC will also coordinate the annual dean’s evaluation. This year they will be reviewing the associate deans as well.
Some current agenda items for FPC are: minority recruitment, role of non-tenured faculty, space allocation, computer policy at the College of Education, and developing a college-wide merit pay policy
A faculty member posed a question to Conroy: What are the major accomplishments of the FPC?
Conroy responded that shared governance takes time. The FPC is still in its infancy considering that this is just the 4th year of existence and it has taken awhile to get procedures together. The main benefit of the FPC is that we have a model of shared governance that does not exist in other colleges.
The faculty member restated her question: It takes a lot of time. But does it serve our needs now?
Conroy responded that she thinks it does. We have a model that the rest of the university wants to emulate.
Dean Emihovich suggested that we consider the issue at the next faculty meeting.
Conroy announced that there is another faculty meeting planned for this fall. The results of this meeting’s feedback on the strategic plan will be shared with the entire faculty at the next meeting.
UF Faculty Senate Report
The College senators had no report.
State of the College (Emihovich)
Dean Emihovich began her presentation with an overview of accomplishments within the College of Education. She reported that there have been great strides made including:
- Fundraising successes;
- Improved faculty productivity;
- Improved technology infrastructure;
- Increased interdisciplinary efforts;
- Improved professional preparation programs;
- Establishment of a faculty governance tradition;
- Greater budget transparency;
- Improved research productivity including both publications and grant funding;
- New centers such as the Center for School Improvement;
- Increased support for faculty;
- Increased graduate student stipends and fellowships;
- Revitalization of the Holmes program;
- Increased funding for graduate student travel;
- Renovations on Norman Hall;
- Establishing a new Web presence;
- Beginning to fully integrate P.K. Yonge and Baby Gator;
- Developing a unit assessment system;
- Starting to get into the distance education market;
- Increased numbers of faculty and students of color; and
- Improved relationships with Tigert Hall.
Lastly, she emphasized that the College of Education is the highest ranked college at the university and the highest ranked college of education in the state.
Emihovich announced that Dean Kranzler will be stepping down at the end of this year and presented her plan for reorganization of the Graduate Studies and Technology Office. She will be creating an associate dean for research position as well as a director of graduate studies and a director of technology. She will work with the Research Advisory Committee to develop the job description for the Associate Dean position. This position will be particularly important considering President Machen goal to increase the volume of research. In thinking about a director of technology, it is becoming clear that distance education will increase that that online courses will be part of this. She is also reopening the search for a director of the alliance.
Emihovich also presented her plan to look for two new people for the B.O. Smith endowed professorships this spring and to add a third one next year. In addition, searches will begin soon for ten new faculty members.
Planning for the centennial celebration includes showcasing work being done in the college. She anticipates that visibility of the College of Education will significantly enhanced through the addition of the new P.R. Director.
She also mentioned that she would be creating a new Deans Advisory Committee. This is a think-aloud committee that might produce recommendations for FPC. The chair and secretary of FPC and faculty senators will be on it. She stated that it should be an exciting year ahead. She asked if there were questions or reactions. There were none.
UF Strategic Plan: Faculty Feedback (small group)
Conroy explained that the next portion of the meeting was important for developing our response to the UF strategic plan. She asked small groups to spend 20-25 minutes discussing the three questions (see Welcome and Introductions). She asked faculty to take the time to record their information.
The faculty met in small groups for 25 minutes to discuss the UF strategic plan. In addition, some faculty members reviewed the College of Education strategic plan.
Concluding Comments and Announcements
Results of the small group discussions will be compiled and added to the results of the additional meetings planned for this purpose. Complete results of the feedback will be available to the faculty.
Following the comments, Conroy reminded faculty that there would be another faculty meeting in a couple of months.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:00PM.
